Family
by Wurstoftheitalians
Summary: Feliciano came home with a stray kitten and Ludwig is NOT thrilled about this at all.


The house was quiet. Too quiet. Feliciano must have been out, I deduced. I hadn't woken from a nap to the peaceful sound of silence the loud Italian entered my life.

I grabbed my book: _How to Live With An Italian_, and sat down on the couch. I had only gotten a chapter in when I heard the front door open and Feliciano's chipper voice.

"Germany! I'm home and I have a surprise for you!"

I sighed. Of course he did.

Feliciano entered the room, a wide smile on his face and a bundle in his arms.

"What's zat?" I trained my eyes on the moving object.

He sat beside me on the couch and the creature lifted it's little head before giving a high pitched mew.

"Isn't she cute?!" Feliciano squeaked. "I named her Dolce, because she's sweet, get it? I found her under a dumpster and she was all alone! She looked so hungry and soft. Can we keep her? Please, please, please?!"

I grimaced. "I don't know, Feli. . . a kitten is a lot of vork. Especially a stray, she could have a disease or fleas." I eyed the kitten suspiciously as she stumbled out of Feliciano's arms.

He frowned. "She doesn't look diseased."

"You can't always tell right away," I explained as the kitten tentatively put a paw on my leg. "But it's going to happen and you're going to spend all of your country's money on medication and- OUCH!" The damned cat stuck her claws into my thigh.

Feliciano picked her up and cooed, "Bad Dolce! Don't claw _Padre, _we want to make him love you!" He rubbed his face against her grey fur and she started to purr.

"I don't like cats," I said in a finalized tone.

Feliciano pouted. "That's what people say when they've never had a cat. Please!?"

"_Nein." _

"I'll take super good care of her, I promise!"

"I'm sure you vould treat her vell, I don't doubt zat, I just don't van a cat in my house."

Feliciano began to tear up.

"Italia," I groaned. When he started crying, nothing would make him stop- unless you gave in to every demand.

"Please, Ludwig," he held the kitten up. "Look at her little face!"

The kitten blinked it's green eyes at me lazily, not realizing we were deciding her fate, or maybe she did and just didn't care. I scowled back. But then I looked at Feliciano's eager face. . . if it was anyone else, the kitten wouldn't have made it through the front door and I wouldn't have a shred of guilt. But there was just something about Feliciano, I just couldn't say no to him.

"_Und_ you vill be ze one to take care of her? I von't have to do anything?" I checked.

Feliciano squealed and threw his arms around me, forcing the cat against my cheek. "_Grazie! Grazie! _You will not regret this!"

I already was.

"_Ja, ja," _I shoved him off, "you're velcome, now leave me alone."

"I will, I have to go buy some cat food for our little Dolce," he scratched the kitten behind her ears.

"Vait!" I grabbed his hand, "Youre leaving me vith ze cat?!"

"_Si, _it will be good for you to bond."

I sputtered. "B-bond?! Vith a cat? _Nein. _I'm not one of zose affectionate cat lovers _und_ making me stay vith it von't change zat-" I stopped, realizing that no matter what I said Feliciano wasn't going to stop cocking his eyebrow skeptically at me.

"You'll have fun," he assured me, "no one can resist the power of a cute and cuddly kitten!"

I resist your charms, I thought.

"If you're not back vithin twent minutes I vill-" I started to threaten before he cut me off.

"Okay dokey!" He saluted and ran off.

I stopped. Did my threats really not even faze him anymore? There was a time when all I had to do was say his name and he'd quake in fear. I must be getting soft. . . I should work on that.

The cat rolled over and began to start swatting my foot.

"Quit it," I growled.

She looked at me, eyes smiling, and ignored me.

Frustrated, I just moved my foot away and went back to my book.

Dolce meandered about, exploring whereabouts.

I rolled my eyes, simple creatures, being entertained by anything and everything. No wonder Feliciano liked them- they had so much in common.

Focusing back on my page, I nearly forgot that Dolce existed until a giant thud sounded in the bedroom.

"Scheiße!" I jumped up and raced into the room where all my books and. . . dirty magazines were scattered across the floor as Dolce napped in the space between the shelves.

I pulled her out and started cleaning it up, she meowed in annoyance at me.

"Oh shut up,"I growled, "you made a mess now I have to clean it up while you get to lounge about."

She hissed at me.

"Yeah, vell, zat's nothing I'm not used to," I told her.

Dolce stared at me blankly for a few moments before rubbing against my legs.

"Go away!"

She moved to my arm and nuzzled her face in it.

"What do you vant?" I asked tiredly.

In response to my question she started purring.

"Being cute von't get you out of trouble. How many times do I tell Feliciano zat? Snuggling up to me is not going to magically make me stop being angry vith you! Are you listening to me?!"

Of course she wasn't. I was talking to a cat. One that had curled up against my extended forearm and fell back to sleep. _Mein Gott _ I was losing it. Along with the authority I had in this house, when did people stop listening to me?

I watched her as she slept, the little ball of fur flicked her tongue out and licked me.

I smiled, despite my irritation. There was something kind of endearing about the warm little creature pressed against my skin; I could feel her heartbeat.

After a moment of consideration, I picked her up and held her against my chest.

She began to purr and lick my thumb and I chuckled, thinking about how to Feliciano, a cat's tongue was rough.

"How can your _Vater_ zink zat's rough? It's ze softest little-" I stopped, hearing a giggle behind me.

I spun around and saw Feliciano in the doorframe, a wide grin on his face.

"Umm. . . zis isn't what it looks like," I told him lamely.

"You love her!"

"I don't mind her," I corrected.

He winked. "Looks like love to me."

My face flushed red. "Everything looks like love to you."

Feliciano came over and wedged himself on my lap and stroked Dolce. "We're a family now!"

"Feli, ve're no where near a family."

He shook his head. "We're two guys living together with a kitten, we are too a family."

"Well families love each other! I love you and Dolce, don't you love us too, Ludwig?"

I blushed. "_Ja. _But-"

"Nope! No butts! We're a family now!" Feliciano nuzzled Dolce.

I smiled at them both and put my arm around Feliciano. "Fine, ve're a family."

Feliciano looked up. "Oh, we were one already before you agreed to it, but good of you to catch up!"

I glared at him.

He kissed my cheek apologetically and I pet the cat to control my anger.

A family. . . an Italian, German, and a kitten. Who would've thought.


End file.
